Fishermen held in Kanyakumari released

All the forty fishermen and five mechanized fishing boats from Kollam taken hostage by Tamil Nadu fishermen and kept at the Kanyakumari fishing harbour since Wednesday morning were released on

Thursday morning, at the intervention of the Kanyakumari parish priest.

The owners of five boats rushed to Kanyakumari from here on Wednesday and sought the intervention of the parish priest. The president of the Kollam District Boat Owners Association, M.S. James, told

The Hindu that the men and boats were released after paying Rs. 15,000 per boat to the abductors.

That was the agreement reached during talks between the parish priest and the abductors, he said. All equipments, fishing gadgets and the catch were returned to the five boats. The reason for the abduction was that the five boats were seen in Tamil Nadu waters where night fishing is banned.